The locomotive was built at Brush, Loughborough, as D1778 and entered traffic on 23rd October 1964. Renumbered 47183 about February 1974, then converted with ETH to 47579 in March 1981, named James Nightall G.C. on 28th September 1981 at March, nameplates removed in November 1995. Converted to 47793 about December 1995, the last RCH jumpers conversions, named Saint Augustine on 24th June 1996, later named Christopher Wren in 2003. Stored by EWS in March 2004, and preserved in 2007 at Mangapps Farm.

Departing from Ropley.

A further shot of the departure.

The token is prepared for handing to the signalman, when arriving at Ropley from Alton.

Sunday, 26 August 2018

45041, seen here between turns at Swanage, was new as D53 from BR Crewe on 25th June 1962. Named on the 24th September 1964. Air brakes fitted in 1968. Renumbered in May 1975. Marker lights fitted in March 1979.

Seen here between Corfe Castle and Norden. The locomotive was last in traffic for BR on 18th May 1988, and was formally withdrawn on 8th June that year.

Wednesday, 22 August 2018

313201 was orginally the first in class 313001, introduced as a 25KV + 750V dc unit for GN Suburban and Moorgate services in February 1976. Renumbered to 313101 in November 2000, for use on Euston - Watford and North London lines, modified with additional 3rd rail shoes, and then 313201 in 2010 when converted for 750V dc only for Southern Railway.

Monday, 20 August 2018

73213 Rhodalyn had arrived at the works earlier in the day, from Tonbridge. Recently in warm store, it was on a test run in Kent on 13th.

Recently repainted barrier coach 68504, with 68501 adjacent to it. In the foreground is finished VTG 4027, a remodelled JSA which appears ready for traffic.

370024 is a redundant HHA coal hopper of Freightliner, built by Greenbrier Wagony Swidnica about 2001. Some of these wagons have already been scrapped, with parts recovered for MWA box wagons, and these will be similarly, arriving at Eastleigh in groups of 10.

The Freightliner warm storage of Class 70 is dynamic. 70003 & 70005 have been working from Trafford Park and 70005 was at Southampton, at least on Wednesday 15th, By Friday 17th, most had been seen back in traffic, 70003 & 70014 had reached Southampton, and 70007 was expected to run south on Saturday 18th.

47804 is the next WCRC Class 47 for a planned overhaul, and 47854 has been on a successful test run this week, after a fire at Northampton in May 2017, now moved to Crewe with 47746 for tour duties.

70014 actually hauled 70007 DIT as 4M46 02:10 Southampton - Garston on Saturday morning, leaving no Class 70 at Southampton. It is believed to have come off at Crewe Basford Hall, leaving 70007 to proceed to Garston, then return to Basford Hall - where it seems that there will be a storage line.

"U.K. Optimization/Restructuring Update • Overall plan unchanged with ~$55 million of restructuring and related costs
expected to unlock ~$18 million of annual savings • Q2 2018 restructuring and related charges of $9.4 million ($6.1 million from
equipment rationalization and $3.3 million from management restructuring and
technology initiatives) • Locomotive fleet rationalization partially deferred into 2H 2018 given strengthening
commercial demand for bulk commodity shipments ‒EITHER $23 million of equipment charges in 2H 2018 (yielding $8 million of
annual savings) OR new business to be contracted for higher profit using the
excess equipment"

We will know in the next day or two if all Freightliner Class 70 have been parked.UPDATE Monday 13th: Confirmed - the traffic requirements can reportedly be managed in the short term with the Class 66 / 86 /90 fleet.

Class 70s to store:
70002 - was running on 8th
70011 - last ran about 25th July, seen 10th at Leeds Midland Road
70015 - last ran on 4th onetwothree, then designated for dead in tow to Leeds (seen at Maritime with number obscured in upper right of picture at top of this update).70801: repairs completed after about one yearPotential new timber freight flow to Totton Yard: a run was planned for Wednesday 15th: from Chirk (14:05 at Totton) - Thursday 16th: to Chirk (15:17 from Totton). Although not expected next week, if and when this operates, it is anticipated to be Colas Rail. There were three management-pose types in orange waistcoat hi-viz in Totton Yard on Thursday, so something is happening there.

Saturday, 4 August 2018

The plan was for 47749 CITY OF TRURO to work from Leicester to Eastleigh to pair up in some way with 47727 Edinburgh Castle / Caisteal Dhùn Èideann for the early hours ECS to Crewe, for a GBRf staff special. However 47749 had issues at Eastleigh, now understood to be resolved, and 47727 proceeded north on its own. The return on Sunday 5th is an excursion as far as Basingstoke, which was advertised for two Class 47, and a path has been created "0Z51 1323 Eastleigh Arlington (Zg) to Coventry Yard". Eventually the ECS will be "2100 Basingstoke to Eastleigh Arlington (Zg)"

47749 approaches Eastleigh as a light engine from Leicester - upgraded brighter headlight. New as D1660 in February 1965.

It was running a few minutes early at this point. A GBRf / Caledonian Sleeper repaint may be anticipated before too long?

Running through the station. The current CITY OF TRURO nameplates were re- applied ahead of the Bristol St. Phillips Marsh event on 30th April 2016, having originally been named at Truro on 8th June 1965.